Suleiman : Al-Quds in Our Thought, Pope: ME Must Enjoy Harmony, Avoid Harmful Ideologies

Local Editor

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman stated Saturday that the Pope's visit to Lebanon is endowed with a special importance.
In a welcoming ceremony held at Baabda Presidential Palace for the Pope Benedict XVI, Suleiman highlighted that "this visit contributes to restoring luster to Lebanon's message and its role as a home of dialogue and a live model for the dialogue of civilizations, cultures and religions."

Addressing the Pope, the President said: "our unique Lebanese experience is at your service, especially the practice of coexistence."
"We are impartial when it comes to regional crises," he clarified.
He further stressed Lebanon's commitment to the full implementation of international agreements, particularly UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

"We are firm to prevent "Israel" from its violations and its persistent aggression against Lebanon as well as its attempts to prevent settling the Palestinians in Lebanon," he said, noting that "Lebanon is keen to achieve a balanced social development, especially for the youth."

On the Palestinian cause, Suleiman reiterated Lebanon's support for dialogue between religions and cultures as well as for a universal solution to the Palestinian cause and the rejection of illegal settlements in Palestine."
"Al-Quds , the place of justice for the world, is always in our thoughts," he confirmed.

For his part, the pontiff denounced war and urged that Christians are to protect the sanctity of human life by striving for peace.
"We pursue peace in order to safeguard life; this proves that we are against war and all terrorist acts because the human being is the most important whereas wars do not allow respect for humans," he noted.
The top of the Catholic church emphasized the need to "promote a culture of peace through dialogue, the dissemination of knowledge and the meaning of peace in family and school education."

The pope reiterated his praise of coexistence, saying that in Lebanon, Islam and Christianity have been living in the same space for centuries. "It is not rare to find people from both religions bearing the same family name," he stressed.
In parallel, he called "mankind to reject vengeance and instead pardon the offenses of others," as he urged the " Christians and Muslims of the Middle East to forge a harmonious society by rejecting some harmful ideologies."

Source: News Agencies, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org